As Las Vegas begins to reopen, attractive dividend yields among casino operators are about as common as a royal flush, but there is at least one bet that could pay off for investors seeking promising payouts, Lawrence Strauss writes in this week's edition of Barron's. One yield play that looks pretty sage is MGM Growth Properties (MGP), a real estate investment trust whose majority stakeholder is MGM Resorts (MGM), the author notes. Reference Link

Las Vegas and its casinos are reopening after after shutting down in mid-March in response to the novel coronavirus outbreak wrote Katherine Sayre of the Wall Street Journal. Plexiglass shields between players at table games, with body and temperature screening for workers will be the norm, added the story. "Las Vegas casinos are now trying to bring tourists back together while keeping them apart, selling pleasure during a pandemic and widespread civil unrest," added the WSJ story. Publicly traded companies in the space include Boyd Gaming (BYD), Caesars (CZR), Las Vegas Sands (LVS), MGM Resorts (MGM), Penn National (PENN) and Wynn Resorts (WYNN). Reference Link

Former FDA Commissioner Dr. Scott Gottlieb said that casinos are a high risk venue for the spread of COVID-19. Steve Sisolak, the Nevada governor, gave casinos a reopening day of June 4. "You look at Las Vegas reopening its casinos. Those are the kinds of settings where I think you have more risk, where you have a lot of people crowding together, coming and going in indoor settings for sustained periods of time," said Gottlieb. Publicly traded companies in the space include Boyd Gaming (BYD), Caesars (CZR), Las Vegas Sands (LVS), MGM Resorts (MGM), Penn National (PENN), and Wynn Resorts (WYNN). Reference Link

MGM Resorts International announced its planned June 4 reopening of Bellagio, New York-New York, MGM Grand Las Vegas and The Signature, following the closure earlier this year of all of its U.S. properties amidst the coronavirus crisis. "At opening, amenities at all properties will be limited. As demand for the destination builds, additional venues within these resorts will open and other MGM Resorts properties on The Strip will reopen," the company said.

Nevada Governor Steve Sisolak announced last night that the state is ready to move into Phase 2 of its "Nevada United: Roadmap to Recovery" reopening plan on Friday, May 29. "Last week, I set a target reopening date of Thursday, June 4, for our gaming industry. Based on the meeting today and the positive trends in our data, I have informed the Chair of the Gaming Control Board that I feel confident in the June 4th target date," Sisolak said. He added, "I know the Gaming Control Board remains resolute in ensuring that gaming operations in this State do not compromise the health and safety of Nevadans, our employees and our visitors. The Board will issue an industry notice tomorrow setting forth requirements for the resumption of gaming operations in the State of Nevada." Publicly traded companies in the casino space include Boyd Gaming (BYD), Caesars (CZR), Las Vegas Sands (LVS), MGM Resorts (MGM), Penn National (PENN) and Wynn Resorts (WYNN). Reference Link